Tiger Woods DUI arrest: Mark Schlabach reveals PGA officials doubt, hope golf superstar will not play The Masters after crash

Tiger Woods‘ presence at next week’s Masters Tournament has been placed in serious doubt following his DUI arrest Friday afternoon in Florida. Woods was reportedly found in possession of two hydrocodone pills after being involved in a rollover car crash Friday near his home in Jupiter Island, Fla., according to a police report released Tuesday morning via TMZ.

Now, ESPN insider Mark Schlabach has revealed PGA Tour officials and several of Woods’ fellow golfers actually hope the five-time Masters champion sits out this year’s event at Augusta National. The 2026 Masters Tournament takes place April 9-12, and Woods was expected to make his return to golf after rupturing his Achilles last year and then undergoing a seventh back surgery in October.

“Most of the golfers and officials from the PGA Tour that I’ve spoken to don’t believe he’ll be there, and some hope he doesn’t go and try to play,” Schlabach said Tuesday afternoon on SportsCenter. “The big question is whether he shows up Sunday when he’s supposed to hit the ceremonial first tee shot at the Patch, the course he helped redesign there at Augusta, and does he even show up at the Champions dinner? People feel like he’s probably got more important things to take care of at this moment.”

As Schlabach mentioned, Woods has long been scheduled to hit the ceremonial tee shot at the reopening of The Patch — otherwise known as the Augusta Municipal Golf Course — on April 12. The public reopening of the local course is set for April 15 following a 16-month renovation project that Woods was apart of, mostly focusing on the short course. Given his arrest Friday, it’s unclear if Woods will still be on hand for the ceremonial reopening ceremony, let alone the actual Masters.

Police: Tiger Woods appeared ‘lethargic, slow’ with ‘bloodshot, glassy’ eyes after rollover crash

Woods initially passed a breathalyzer but still showed signs of impairment while appearing “lethargic, slow and (was) ‘sweating profusely’” with “bloodshot, glassy and ‘extremely dilated’” eyes, according to the police report reviewed by GOLF.com’s Sean Zak. Woods’ Land Rover clipped another vehicle while attempting to pass on a 30-mph, two-lane road when he tipped over onto the driver’s side and slid several feet, according to Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek.

The 50-year-old Woods was previously charged with DUI in 2017 when he was found asleep in his vehicle with the engine running at 3 am ET on May 29, 2017, near his Jupiter Island home. He later sought treatment for a prescription drug problem and received a year’s probation after pleading down to reckless driving.

This is the second time Woods has been involved in a rollover accident. He was seriously injured in 2021 when his Genesis GV80 SUV struck a tree while he was reportedly driving twice the speed limit in a 45-mph zone in the Rolling Hills Estates in Southern California. Woods underwent emergency surgery to repair multiple compound fractures to his right leg and shattered ankle and was out of golf for a full year before returning for the 2022 Masters. Woods was not charged with the 2021 rollover accident.